The 1sts have 16 points after 10 games and are currently in 2nd position of the Northern Amateur Football League Division 1B.
The Swifts currently sit in 11th position on 3 points after 4 league games of the Northern Amateur Football League Division 3D.
With 5 points after 5 games The Albion are in 9th place of the Newcastle & District Football League Division 3.
Just over a month ago these two teams met in a league game with Ballykinler coming from two down to win 4 – 2 and in the return match this was almost repeated again however Davy Teggarty’s young charges were in no mood for a repeat and they held on doggedly for a deserved share of the spoils.
The Albion took the lead early in this game when Ciaran Bonner scrambled the ball home from a corner and they held this lead until half time. The home team came out in determined mood in the second half and levelled the score after 55 minutes following a defensive mix up.
The game looked to going the way of the physically stronger Ballykinler side as the young Albion team began to tire however on 70 minutes Ross Bingham popped up to convert a left wing cross to give the visitors the lead for the second time.
Their joy was short lived as they had barely settled down after their celebrations Ballykinler drew level again a few minutes later.
Ballykinler pressed for the winner and in doing so they found keeper Johnny McGreevy in excellent form with a little help from a post and the cross bar.
This was a well earned point for the Albion team which again featured a large number of teenagers with defenders John McMenamin and Scott McNeill outstanding.
A word of praise this week and indeed for the second week running for the referee and this time the man in the middle deserving the praise was Marty Rawlinson from Newcastle.
The Albion went into this league fixture against Kirkistown on the back of an excellent home victory the previous week.
In what was a closely fought game the goal scoring action came in the last fifteen minutes although the Albion could well have been ahead in the 65th minute had they not missed a penalty. In the 80th minute Kirkistown took the lead from a free kick however Alan Massey equalised from the penalty spot five minutes later to give the Albion a deserved share of the spoils.
This was a very keenly contested affair which was aided by a very good refereeing performance from Colin Dickson.
Davy Teggarty’s Albion got their first three points on Saturday with a hard fought victory over a hard working Carryduff Athletic side.
Featuring up to seven teenagers in the line up the team started well and were ahead after three minutes when Matthew Murnin’s 40 yard shot dipped under the cross bar at the right moment to beat the keeper all ends up.
The visitors were level after 35 minutes however on 40 minutes Greg Allison rounded the keeper to make it 2- 1.
The second half was very close however Jason Brennan put the Albion 3-1 up on 65 minutes when he back heeled the ball into the net.
Carryduff got back into the game in the 80th minute to make it 3-2 and thereafter Albion keeper Johnny McGreevy was called on to make a few decent saves. Stuart Wilcox had the ball in the net late on but it was ruled out for offside.
The Swifts got their season off to a disappointing start when they were defeated 6 – 1 away to a very strong St Lukes team while a very youthful Albion lost to Moneyslane Thirds in the Bobbey Dalzell Cup. Both teams were without key player through injury and illness which did not help.
